Exciting things!

I just thought I'd pop on for a second to share in my fun news that I recently started working for Desi at Unconventional Kitchen!  So so exciting and something I'm very passionate about!

I just did a blog post so head on over there to check it out!!!  There's a free printable!

CLICK HERE TO READ


I'm sure I will talk tons about this as we go along.  But one thing I do want to plug in here is that if you haven't already done so - go ahead and sign up for our  Love Your Greens 30 Day Challenge!  Just click on the image to sign up!

It's FREEEEEE!  And there is some fantastic prizes.  Like a blendtec, or two.  And a free membership to Desi's year long Real Foods Made Easy program!

To learn more about the Real Foods Made Easy Program (which I will also be contributing to) click the image below.

So SCOOOT and do it up!

Anyway...there's still some snow.

Not that I'm one to complain about snow...too much.  Or actually maybe all the time.  I'd sort of like to sucker punch snow in the face.  See...the stuff makes me aggressive.

But I think everyone can agree...snow mid April....boooo-urns!

But I'm super hopeful that by June I can downsize to one pair of socks.  Legit.

I did however suck it up and take the peoples outside for a bike ride.  You'll be pleased to know that when we got back - whilst we were spraying snow with colored water bottle water majigs...that snowman you see in the background there....his head fell off!

That's right winter...DIE!

Um what?

Anyway lots of stuff going on around here.

Some intense mario, angry birds, sonic, pac man, and wreck it ralph obsessions...that change up daily.

Nice to spice things up and such.

There's some passionate lego building.

And there's a little bit of stepping on the legos.  That's not so much my favorite thing.

And we're of course still painting and de-cluttering around the painting. Reno, reno, RENO!  Our house is pretty dang close to being as done as its going to get.  I'll post some after photos here soon.  No really...I promise.  Just let me clean the kitchen and I'll do that up....even though it's not quite finished.  So see you in a few years.  Jokes.

There's a lot of going to the Naturopath to get my adrenals healed up.  And of course a lot of reading and being passionate on the subject.

I'm helping out with a 30 Day Greens Challenge which I'll chat about more here in a couple of days...though if you're on my facebook you've seen me share it already.  Go sign up!

And there's a lot of craving to get outside and have summer!  I can't wait to see the grass turn green and the flowers out.  There's just something about this season that I get along with.  We just might be besties.

And of course there's still the research going on as to how I can move to year long summer climate...

Like Arizona...

Hawaii...

Miami....

Texas...

You know...easy places to just whip up and move to.

Stop laughing cause I'm double dog serious!

I am guest posting somewhere soon...maybe even tomorrow.  So keep your eyes peeled!

Tooooodles!

All my favourite documentaries and videos!

If I'm being honest I'm a girl who is a visual learner.  Nothing captures me more then a video or a movie that is teaching me something.  I mean yes I learn well the old fashion way of reading.  Reading is at the top of my hobby list.  But when I really need to absorb something...nothing does it more for me then seeing someone actually talk about it.

So I thought I'd make a documentary/video resource page for me to send my peeps here on the blog.  So bare with me if this is a post you're not at all interested in.  Just hit the close button.  Don't worry...I won't know...so I can't unfriend you or anything.  Just sayin'.

PS - if you wish to find this page again easily its right on over to the right there under the "Health Junkie" button.  I'm like organized and crap.

So not really in particular order but kinda! 

Hungry For Change - This is on Netflix and if you go to their website and sign up for their newsletter they send you oodles of information and well often have free viewings of the movie.

Food Matters - Also on Netflix and they are the same makers of Hungry for Change...do the same for their newsletter and you can watch for when they air it for free.

Forks Over Knives - this is the movie that changed my husband!  Like this is the one that really made him want change.  And my husband is healthy as a horse.  He's thinking ahead for his health.  This one is on American Netflix for sure but I think you can watch it on youtube too.  Not sure.


Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead - Joe is in the movie Hungry For Change and I love his movie.  He was on the medications that they wanted to put my super cute child on.

Crazy Sexy Cancer - Kris Carr is one of my heros! She was diagnosed with stage 4 (insert a really really long crazy name) cancer and has it at a stand still with diet and is healthier then ever.


Vegucated!  Am I full on Vegan or Vegetarian?  No.  Would I like to be...yes most days.  I just try to keep my animal products really low.  And I like this one!


Unconventional Kitchen - I consider Desi one of my peeps and she helps me a lot!  She's got sooo much good information on her website and I love her videos.  Start with this one and let it take you to her YouTube channel.


If you know me I'm a pretty big advocate of Robyn Openshaw otherwise known as Green Smoothie Girl.  Here are a couple of her videos but I HIGHLY recommend you watch all of her videos.  This one that I'm going to share is an hour long video and its one her presentations that she teaches all over the U.S.


And the next few are Green Smoothie Girls videos that got me hooked.  So again use these videos to find all of her others!








You Can Heal Your Life - This last one I'm going to share isn't about food.  But it's about how what you think matters.  This one gives me an uplift on those days that I'm feeling glum and ungrateful.  This video below is the whole movie!




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I'll keep adding to this page as I think of more or watch more that I need to share!  So come back when you need some healthy inspiration!

Obsessed with health gal - part one: My story

If you hang out with me in person one of the  main things in life that I obsess over is health.  Its actually pretty annoying if you talk to me all the time.  You'd get rather sick of me I'm sure.  There's a lot of passion up in here about good health. There's reasons for that.  I've mentioned it before.

Image from weheartit

Let me tell you my story.  Maybe I've told my story on here before but I can't remember.  You see I have two boys that by the end of the day, have sucked all of the memory juices out of my brain.  True story.

And here's my story...in point form.  I bet you're ooozing with excitement right now.

-I was born and my Mom wasn't able to breastfeed me even though she really wanted to.

-I was on formula

-I started to scream my face off

-I was allergic to dairy

-I had to go on soy (I'm very allergic to soy now)

-By age five I had arthritis, allergies and asthma and remember staying in the hospital for testing.  Until said hospital caught on fire.  All was well but they sent people like me home.  We didn't finish the testing.

-By age seven we had a lot of pets.  I got VERY allergic to them.

-I took seldane (daily allergy meds) every day to try to help.  I should have let my Mom give the pets away.  But I knew how to suck her in.

-By early teens allergies were so bad that the only place in my house that was safe for me was my bedroom. I missed a lot because of allergies.  I still do.  I'm still VERY allergic to pets.  A cat can walk by me and I sneeze.  My friends dog was staying in our garage and I sneeze every time I get into my SUV.

-By age 15 I was sleeping every day after school and still able to sleep at night.

-By age 16 I was having severe stomach attacks and had been for a couple of years but they were getting worse.  And I was still needing a lot of sleep.

-By age 18 I felt like I was 80 years old.  And feeling really down about myself.  The allergies were bad, the stomach attacks were bad, the fatigue was really bad.

-Many many foods started to bother me and gave me different reactions.

-At age 18 I started researching, reading and trying to find what to do to fix me.  I've read, read, read, and read.  I know a lot.  Whether people think I'm right or not.  

-At age 32 I still have these issues but am on the path to healing.  

Every time I  speak with someone about the power of food and healing some people think I'm  nuts.  Most want to know what I know and want me to send them on the path too.  Some wonder why I'm not better yet.

One thing that I have to understand and then also have to explain is that for 32 years I've been making my body sicker.  I'm an autoimmune girl.  And it's just been the past couple of years that its all finally clicked.  But 32 years of bad habits are hard to break and heal.

 I recently went to a new Naturopath doctor who does blood testing (very cool by the way) and the diagnosis...

My adrenals are BARELY working....maybe 30% of the time. (third time I've been told that)

My digestive system is not working

My thyroid is a bit wonky

My gallbladder isn't working very well (because of the above issues)

And I have to watch it or I will be a strong candidate for early menopause

uh crap!

So you're scratching your head thinking...but Kristi...don't you think food heals everything????  Heck yeah!   I think diet is EVERYTHING.  But I think that 32 years has taken a toll.  I believe strongly in the power of all forms of healing.  Vitamin healing, herbal healing, and emotional healing as well.  No I am not a fan of relying on the medical system.  I think it has a place.  But that's for another post.

I plan under that health tab on the right there to have all of my "health" related posts for you there as well as all my favourite resources.  Because I need a place to  send people.  I'm not the pro in this.  I'm on the healing path.  But for some reason people want to see what I'm doing and don't want to be handed off to a random website with no explanation.

Next post I'll tell you my little dude's story.  And how I'm healing him with food.

And as I keep going...I'll start filling you in on my resources and strong but non judgemental opinions.  

You know....lovingly.

Mind dump

1. I'm a thinker.  Like a deep one.  I'm always thinking.  Always striving, planning, wanting, and pondering in my head.  It's exhausting really.

2. Speaking of exhausting...last week I was diagnosed with Adrenal Fatigue.....again.  Perhaps I should work at that.  But then like...I'm this deep thinker.  And this deep worrier.  And a deep stress ball.  See my problem?

3. One thing about me that I may have mentioned or you may have gathered from my years of ramblings is that I'm ooozing with optimism and always striving to overcome the things about myself that I don't find too stellar.  AKA hope...right?

4. There's a lot of painting and renovation going on in my house.  I may have mentioned that once before.  Or 562 times.

5. The laundry situation is....well beyond words.  Which is why I'm usually "management" on the renovating front.  Stuff gets behind yo! I've accepted that if we can all find at least one pair of underwear and the clothes that we find in the dirty laundry doesn't stink we can survive this crazy period in life.  Or maybe that's the way it always is. I mean what?

6. I was reading back on some of my old posts.  I was funny.  Like legit and crap.  Now I'm happy if I can form a proper sentence.

7. See that situation on that guy's head?  That's his autoimmune disease (Linear Morphea) that added to the pile of "The worst year in the history of Kristi's life - Vintage 2012".

8. I'm happy to report that he doesn't notice or care that it's there. That it doesn't bother him or affect his health.  That we are not putting him on two months of steroids, two years of methotrexate, and bi-weekly blood tests.  Because we'd be taking a perfectly healthy boy and making him sick.  The rheumatologist agrees. (HOLLA)  And I'm even HAPPIER to report that his hair is GROWING back.  Looks like taking him off of gluten is helping and I couldn't be happier.  It's worth the work.

7. Sometimes I think I have my hands full.  And I only have two kids. For the love of PETE!

8. I think change is coming....

But not baby change.  HA!  Got ya there right?!

9. If I did an actual full mind dump on here you'd probably look at me like I was a lunetic.

10. I miss blogging regularly.  Have I mentioned that 562 times as well?

11.  Is it normal to see lego flying over your head?  No?  Should probably see what that's about.

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Hit me with your mind dump.  You'll feel better.  You know...like after you....eat chocolate.

What'd you think I was gonna say?

PS- can anyone tell me what blogger's problem is?? I can't post without an obscene amount of spacing in google reader.  Just sayin'.

From the days of PEEK

Welcome to the days of PEEK. Back in the day when I didn't own a home, had one child who was mild and played independently and lived in isolation, I did things on this blog like guests posts 'PEEKing' into their lives and homes. I compiled them into this place so you can check them out as they are still gems. Maybe someday I'll do them again. Just click on each photo to go to that person's PEEK. You may see a few people that are big in the blog world...oh and famous Juno winning singer. Just sayin'! Enjoy!

To see each PEEK click one the pictures!

If you don't see your PEEK here let me know.  I may have forgotten to label them for easy finding.

Right now...

 The sun is shining outside and if I look at the right angle I don't see the snow and I can forget that its minus 40c outside.  My efforts of convincing the husband to move to Arizona are not panning out.  Why does he have to be so logical?  So what if he works for the Canadian government.  And so what if we're Canadian.  They don't need to know that.

As of late I decided to help out and paint our kitchen cupboards.  The original plan was to gut it out and tear down the wall.  But we're tired.  Running out of money and understanding that its not our forever house.  It's slow going...me helping means doing it at nap time and night time.   Um so if you know me those are the two times of day that I literally smash into a wall and pass out.  Or I'm  just super tired then....same diff.  So yes..sloooow going.  Needless to say my floors are starting to sound a bit crunchy and my laundry is staring me down like my friends dog from when I was five stared me down and then bit me.  (oh yeah....he  won't bite me Tash...not at all) The laundry is going to bit me I can feel it.  Or throw up everywhere.  

If I can talk about my true feelings on the subject of renovating I'd loving like to express my deep passionate hatred for it.  No  really.  Some people truly do thrive in doing that.  There is this sense of accomplishment in the 'after' part.  But I can get that sense of accomplishment from decorating it to my liking - so ripping out bathrooms and painting trim and baseboards and all the other million things - PASS!  Needless to say I'm praying for the life of me that the next house will be whistling a different tune.  

Can I ask my three readers that are still here and comment something?  What do you want me to focus on here?  My plan is to talk about motherhood subjects, health, and home decorating.  What do you think?  Is there other stuff on here that you want to see?  Is there more specific in those topics you want me to cover?  Do you want me to get back to blogging more regularily?  I think I could swing blogging more often if you all could call my husband and tell him to buy me an electric blanket so I can wrap up in it when I am trying to blog at night in the 'ma frickin cold' basement.  It would help motivate me for sure!

{there's always a lot of drawing mario and sonic around here lately}

Thoughts?

{oh hi baby that turned big kid overnight}

{sometimes I add random photos for no reason}

Burn out...

Every day...sometimes multiple times a day, I think of something I want write on here.  All different subjects with all sorts of witty and mouthy funniness and sometimes even serious stuff.  Writing is a part of me. When I think about it I'm actually surprised I didn't go into writing in school. Well no I'm not.  I don't like pressure and competition. Which is why I stopped doing Graphic Design almost as soon as I started.  Writing has always been a part of me. I've always kept journals, little notes, and loved to take pictures even though I was shy about doing it.  I love writing.  Capturing. It's therapeutic, artistic and makes me sound way funnier and way cooler then I am in real person. 

So this is a therapeutic post.  I hate the fact that I seem to need these way to much.  Like I could just write it in my personal journal. Or write it and not post it.  But I hold on to the hope that maybe someone else that reads this can find good company in something they are going through.  I hope that the real life people around me will understand me a little better....without feeling the need to reach out and help me.  Strangely enough it's not help that I'm looking for most days. It's the feeling of being able to do things for myself that I want.  It's understanding from others that I don't work like most people and I don't think that I'll change.

You see...I'm a classic case of a burnt out Mom.  I'm a classic case of an introvert...who's actually sort of not an introvert in so many ways.  I'm a girl who has wanted to be a Mom since I was five and love love it more than anything else in the world -yet find I need way too much time alone and am always caught up in the to do's and know that time (and being a nice and purposeful Mom) is passing me by.   I'm a Mom who has this perfect little boy who has an autoimmune disease and is and will fight for the best a healthiest long term treatment for him. But it's hard and it makes me have to do hard things that my own 'not so stellar health' doesn't always allow me to do.  I have another little boy who has a lot of aggression and I don't know how to fix it and most days think I'm the reason.  I'm a  girl who strives to live with intention yet goes to bed almost every night feeling like I failed at it every day.  

But the heaviest part is that I feel like I'm just this little girl who lost her Mom too young.  And almost nine months later it seems to get harder.  

We all have trials and hard times.  People are going through way harder things then I am.  Their pain is so valid.

My thoughts are all over the place. But then that's the usual around here. Job hazard I guess. 

I think about how having kids has given me this love I could never have imagined. It has also taught me true fear.

I think about how moving to three communities in three years has helped me get thicker skin, get to know myself a little better and has made for some GREAT conversation starters.  It has also crippled me.  Made the introverted part of me scream louder then the extrovert in me.  It's made it hard for me to go anywhere and take on anything out of this house. I think parenting has done that too.  Most of the time I'm okay with saying no, focusing on the three boys in my life. I think that's my calling in life. But some days I feel lost in it all.

But then I think about how I'm a perfectionist and I didn't even know it until Neighbour told me.  That I crave some sort of control and that's the to do's...those things that I feel are important but haven't found balance in all of it yet.  My Mom as well as other moms to me, have said not to worry about the clean house...your kids grow up so fast.  Live in the moment.  They won't last.  They're so right.  But then sort of not right too.  It's just like...my kids still need underwear and pants. And dishes to eat off of.  And to be able to find that random power ranger toy they never looked at twice before that they have to have it "RIGHT THIS MINUTE!" They need a clean environment that invites the spirit.  But on the flip side they need a peaceful Mom.  See! For the love of Pete I can't win.  I need chocolate.

But I digress. I'm on the CONSTANT hunt to figure it out. Sorry to the three ladies in my life who have to listen to me work it out over and over again.  And to my husband who has listen to me have the same struggles as well as fresh new ones - to what seems like constantly since the day we got married. 

I'm trying to figure out life without my Mom.  For a lot of my life I was so worried and almost prepping myself for the day she'd leave me.  I honestly thought I was almost prepared. I was wrong.  Really really wrong. 

I have no answers. And offers of advice have to come when you know the full context of me and all the details in my head. And there isn't enough strength in my hands to be able to to ever type all that out. And let's be honest if you made it to the end of this then Facebook is having a lame newsfeed night. 

But I know I'm not alone in this fight. I know so many that will read this get it so much words are just bursting out of their fingertips. 

Though on the plus side when I do "figure it all out" that'll mean that I've also been able to get back to blogging like I wish I could now so you'll hear all about it. So be sure to check back here the year 2053. Because only then will I have my crap together and then no one will want my advice because 'times will have changed' or some crap like that. 

Family Room!

I probably should be doing something Christmas-ish to do's.

Or laundry.

Or teaching my children to bake bread after grinding their own grains whilst reciting memorized poems.

Isn't that what the super Mom's do?  I don't know...I'm not one of those.

Anywhoo...

Instead I figured I could get off of other peoples blogs and do the Family room...living room...dunno what the heck it is....update.

Again...iPhone photos.  Be happy about it anyway.

I don't feel like this room is done.  Like the renovation part yes...the decor no!  But that may not happen.  I may move before that happens. Or not who knows.  I'll live.

I didn't take very good before photos so there isn't side by side comparisons so you'll have to dig into your imagination.

So this is the view looking into the dining room.  It's got a little bit of a warm, brownish orange thing happening.

And now...

Since I last took this I've cleared off that built in china cabinet and added some new goodies.  Keeps the paper piles down.  I'll have to show you that another time.

Here's another before...

Now...

I'd like to get some fabric to put in the windows of the china cabinet but until I find what I want I put in some wrapping paper.  It works for now.  Though it looks dumb in the photo.  May have to add that to my priority list.  Sunnofa!

And those black bucket type chairs...I definitely want to get some real comfy soft patterned chairs but again...until I can find what I want they will do.

It was a wee dated before...

I of course, like crazy colors and patterns.

But I've wanted three colors in my home since my first year of marriage.  Turquoise, raspberry and purple.  Thankfully those still look pretty good almost 9 years later!

Again see those chairs....uhhh too cold.  I need some warmth in there.  AND I want to get a new area rug that works better and is MUCH larger.  Of course I'd dig some print of some sorts.  Life is meant to be colorful and crazy no??  Oh and I want some new throw pillows...so the two year old can chuck them all over my house.  I love that sort of thing.

Oh and see this area?

I have a beautiful dresser that my Mom and Step-dad bought me when I was a teen.  It was the only piece of furniture that was ever bought new JUST for me.  And it was a sacrifice for them. I will NEVER get rid of it.  It needs a little love and TLC but I plan to make it over and paint it a bright color and slap it there.  I need a place to put stuff on.  And those clipboards with photos are moving to a new spot too because I plan to fill that space with our family photos.  HOLLA.

So if you're reading this husband....can you whip that dresser up here so I can paint it?  What's that you say???  You'll get on that pronto?! Perfect.  Oh and move the deep freeze to the garage...kaythanksbye!

A couple more views...

(and WOW the quality of these photos are TERRIBLE...too late now suckah!!)

I'd like to have a mantel on that fireplace but that might be for the next homeowner to tackle.

And the last view.  It's a pretty open space and is large and hard to heat ha ha ha but I love how open it is.  We were going to take down that wall with the painting on it but we've since reconsidered and are planning to just open up the doorway a bit.  I think we're nearing the end of what we are willing to put into this home.  If it was my forever home I'd be all about it.

So that's our main level living space.

We dig it.  Of course right now it looks much different with our Christmas decor and well...my kids were in there for a minute today so you can imagine the damage they did.

But much different huh?

I'll probably do those colors in my next house too.  I just have warm feelings about the cool colors...yo!

I think I see a spiderman flying around my basement...spiderman is not suppose to fly...you get how I'm feeling right now???

BYEEEEE!